Suction topper



y1,641,480 Sept. 6. 1927- p, w. FLr-:lscHER sUcTIoN TOPPER Filed Sept. 13, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept.Y 6. 1927- p w, FLEISCHER SUCTION TOPPER Filed Sept. 13. 1919 {Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 6, 1927.

NETE' PAUL FLEISC HER, OF WEE-AXVKEN HEIGHTS, NEWJERSEY, ASSIGNOP TOAll/[ERI- CAN CAN COMPANY, OF NEVI YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

s`UoT1oN TorPER.

Application ined september 13', 191e. serial: ite. 52:'31674.

This invention `relates in general to the art of filling cans and' the like, and has more particular reference to the provision of new and improved apparatus for insuring .e predetermined que-entity of materiel within' the cans at the time the are' re'- c'eive'd' at the mechanism for appjying the covers or closures'e Thfe invention contemplates a topperfor insijinga predetermined amount of contents which Will be so airranged that its operation or action may occur closely related 'sequence tothe action of the closing machine itself, and 'this without' loss of any of the contentremoved Afrom the cans` in toppifngthem. other Words the invention contemplates the provision of a topper which will reduce the contents of the can to a predetermined amount at the time it is received by the closing mechanism, and permit the saving and ready recovery of the material thus removed. The invention further contemplates' the provisionotx a suction' topper o'ffnev and improved Construction and inA which the' amount of suction will: have little or no' effect upon the amount o'f contentsjrem'oved, the arrangement being s'ueh that' the excess 'win be ee'- moved to bring 'the' conte'nts to prede'- termined level",A regardlessor 'substantially regardless of the' 'exact' degree of suction PfQVid'dl e Numerous other objects' and advantages of the invention Wil-l1 be apparent as' the same is Better understood from the' f'o'll'owing description when conjsdered-irr-eoneetion with the accompanying' d'rfa`w'ving, i 1'1`u`s trating improved embodiment; thereof,

Referring t'o the' dra'v'jving':

Figure 1 is a vtop plan view o'f' a suction topper embodying my present" 'ifn'ven'ti'on, showing it in positionfandi'n relation 'to a' closing machine 'which applies' the' doversi Figure' 2 is a vertical section through' said wpperl .l t

Figure 3V is a transverse" section through the supporting! stem of' one of the suction heads. A A

Figure 4' is an' enlarged 'section' through oneo'fsaid heads'.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown on the drawing a' table olf support 1;1 preferably' forming a part of thefclo's'i'ng machine and iaflong'A anedge' of' which et 12 a' path' of cian' travel;

the cans 13 filled with theirconi'ents move' along this path into: thev closinginechanis'm. 'I he suction toppcr i s' positioned adjacent this path 'and is' carried uponan upwardly extending fixed post Upon this post is ilronnted a rotatable sleeve 15 `to which motioiris imparted by drive sleeve 16 about the' pfst' which is actuated in any 'suitable' fashion.Y The sleeve 1 5' is 'providedvvith a'n outwardly extending integral! flange 17 suitably reenforced ribs 18' an'd` spporting'fat i'ts outer periphery a'. nnib'yero' circl'a'mferent'ially spaced iertical hollc'iiil ho'usings 19 within Wfhicjhsuction head stems' 21 are causedto reciprocate, a's will b'e presently described.

Each of the stens 21 carries at its loWer end a suction' topper head. This consists o'fa combined submerger'an'd ba'ilie'r' 22, a can-closing member or 'ann'ulus'23, suction tubes' 24, af material accumulator E25, and an o'ntlet conduit 30. The submerger or bailer 22 comprises al1- internal or .c''ntxial sleeve 2 6 fixedrpofn the lower* end of th"e ste`ml andhavi'nf at its lower extremitya fl'afng'ed' part 2'( Whichncon'nects the central-port'ion 0f .the Submerg'er with agupwerdly @1X- lzending part 28 of larger dia-meter than the sleeve 2 6 and providingan annular poelret' or c'hambe 29 bet'v'vejen itselfand the sleeve or 'central solet p'a'rtQiG. The can clo'ser or annulus 23 c'o'r np' s' a ring. 31' having a' collar 's'lidah'le upon the; part 2`8`and vel se1'y enrlo'raeinpggf' the san'i'e. Beneath this' is located a soft ring 33 to close' down onto and enga e thetop of the can body 13', t 'his ring o soft material b eifngr h'el'dl in place by a' packing retainer' o'r rin`g.34 secpre'd by bolts' 3'5, to the' ringl. The can closer 23 isretaine'd in' vp'1 p' 'e"r position by nl'mbel Off p'fstsi 36 ser: rdpa't' thel lower. ends in the part 31 and: havin'gtheir upper ends extending slidably through the out- Wardly' ex'tendingflange 37, at the upper end of the part 28g pins 38 being provided through the ends'o'fthe p ostsjto prevent sepf arat'ion ofthese' pja'rt's, Springs 39 embrace the posts between' the pa'r'tsl` ajnd' 37 and srveto pressthe can closerftightly onto the can permitting it' topre'ss 'rlnly thereon vvhen 'tl 1e' submergeii is' pushed d'ovvn through the AcanYcl" sj,e"r i'n thje' topping action.

It Wi'll bc understood that thetopping action starts by ade'scent of the can closer 23 and the submerger and bailer 22 down upon the can when the can arrives in proper position. This action is accomplished through downward movement of the stem 2l. This stem is provided with a roller 41 mounted in a cam groove 42 of a stationary cam member 43 fixed against rotation on the upper end 44 ot stationary vertical shaft 14. The stem holders 19 are slotted at 45 to permit vertical movement of the post or stub shaft 46 on which the rollers are mounted and which extend into the stem.

The downward movement of the topping head causes the can to be first closed by the closure 23 and then causes the submerger and bailer to be pressed down upon the solids of the can, bringing the solid contents below the level ot the liquid or liquor in the can. Perforations or passages 47 are provided through the part 28 of the submerger and above its bottom, and through these excess of material is forced into the bailer, and into the pocket 29. From here it is removed by the suction device. A material accumulator is secured upon each stem 21 and consists of a split-ring which is hollow at 48, throughout a greater part of its circumference. The tubes 24 extend down into the pockets and are fast at their upper ends to the material accumulator, and at these upper ends communicate with the hollow portion or chamber 48. The material is collected from the several accumulators by, or through, passages connecting with a common draw-ofi' pipe 51 which connects with a suitable suction apparat-us and recovery tank (neither being shown). The passages mentioned are provided in a spider 52, having a leg 53 extending out and down into engagement with each stem carrier 19. Each of these legs is hollow in its vertical part, as indicated at 54, and in this hollow vertical portion the upper end of a draw-off tube is slidably mounted, the lower end being fastened in any suitable fashion as indicated at in the appropriate accumulator and communicating with its internal chamber 48. The upper or horizontal part of each spider leg is also hollow, as indicated at 56, and this hollow portion communicates both with the hollow part 54 and also with the pipe 51, at 57. The spider, of course, forms a unitary structure with the support for the several topper heads.

Since the contents of the can are exterior to the pocket and the excess of the material is taken from the pocket instead of from the body of the can, the exact amount of suction provided is of less importance and it will also be apparent that the suction devices may operate in removing the excess of material from the pockets Jfor a period of time after the suction head has been removed from the can. The association of the suction tspper connected with the can closing machine is an arrangement of peculiar value, since opportunity for .spilling the contents with the resulting diminution thereof is lessened and practically eliminated, so

that the amount of material within each will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

claim:

l. A device for leveling the contents of cans and removing excess of said contents, comprising, in combination, a liquid displacing device adapted to be introduced within the open mouth of a filled can, said displacing device having means for tightly closing` the top of the can, and having a chamber for receiving a portion of the contents of the can, and being provided with a passage leading from the interior of the can to said chamber, an accumulating chamber having a conduit through which the material may flow thereinto from the chamber of the displacing device, an exhaust pipe leading from said accumulating chamber, and means for raising and lowering the liquid displacing device relative to a filled can.

2. In a machine wherein filled cans are advanced processionally, the combination of a suction topper for levelling the material in said cans and recovering the excess thereof, said topper having an annular bailing chamber, an accumulating chamber communicating with the interior of the can when the topper is applied thereto, and a suction pipe connected with said chamber.

3. A device for bringing the material in a can to predetermined amount, the same having a part entering the can and displacing a portion of the contents of the can when applied to the latter, and having a seat formed around the displacing part of the device for tightly closing the top of the can, said device having a chamber formed to receive the displaced material, and having an upper chamber wherein displaced material may be accumulated, a conduit connecting said lower chamber with the upper chamber, and a suction pipe connected with the upper chamber.

4. A device for bringing the material in a fluid can to predetermined amount, having displacing portion insertable within the can, and provided with a chamber' within said displacing portion, which chamber is open at its upper part to the atmosphere into which the displaced material may run by gravity, and an exhaust pipe having means comnnmicating with said chamber for removing the excess of material therein.

5. A device for bringing the material in a filled can to predetermined amount, comprising a can closer and a hollow member open at its upper side to the atmosphere and having its under side formed to displace the excess contents of the can when inserted thereinto, the hollow portion of said member forming a receiving chamber for the displaced contents, said chamber being annular and said device having centrally arranged means whereby the device may be reciprocated to and from the can.

6. A device for bringing the material in a filled can to predetermined amount, comprising a can closer and a hollow member open at its upper side to the atmosphere and having its under side formed to displace the excess contents of the can when inserted thereinto, the hollow portion of said member forming a receiving chamber for the displaced contents, said chamber being annular and said device having centrally arranged means whereby the device may be moved to and from the can, and means for moving said device into and out of the can.

i'. A device for bringing the material in a filled can to predetermined amount, comprising a hollow member open at its upper side to the atmosphere and having its under side 'formed to displace the excess contents of the can when inserted thereinto, the hollow portion of said member forming a receiving chamber for the displaced contents, and combined therewith an upper chamber, a conduit leading from the upper chamber to the said receiving chamber, the lower end et said conduit adapted to be closed to the atmosphere by displaced material in said receiving chamber, and an exhaust pipe connected with the upper chamber.

8. A device for bringing the material in a tilled can to predetermined amount, comprising a hollow member open at its upper side to the atmosphere and having its under side formed to displace the excess contents of the can when inserted thereinto, the hollow portion of said member forming a receiving hamher tor the displaced contents, said chamber being annular and said device having centrally arranged means whereby the device may be reciprocated to and from the can, and combined therewith an upper chamber, a conduit leading from the upper chamber to the said receiving chamber, the lower end of said conduit adapted to be closed to the atmosphere by displaced material in said receiving chamber. and an exhaust pipe connected with the upper chamber.

9. A device for bringing the material in a filled can to predetermined amount, comprising a can closer and a hollow member open at its upper side to the atmosphere and having its under side formed to displace the excessl contents of the can when inserted thereinto, the hollow portion of said member forming a receiving chamber for the displaced contents.

10. An apparatus for bringing the Inaterial in filled cans to predetermined amounts, comprising a series of hollow members each open at its upper side to the atmosphere and having its under side formed to displace the excess contents of the can when inserted thereinto, the hollow portion of said member forming a receiving chamber for the displaced contents, suction means leading trom said chambers, a rotary head having vertical bearings in which said members are mounted tor reciprocation, and means` i" .fr reciprccating said members.

l1. A n apparatus for bringing the material in iilled cans to predetern'lined amounts, comprising a series o'l hollow members each open at its upper side to the atmosphere and having its under side formed to displace the excess: contents olE the can when inserted thereinto, the hollow portion of said member forming a receiving chamber t'or the displaced contents, suction means leading 'from said chambers, a rotary head having vertical bearings in which said members are mounted Jfor reciprocation, and means tor reciprocating said members, said suction means being yieldable, while rema'ming closed to the atmosphere, to permit said reciprocation.

12. A suction topper having a can closer and 'l'ormed at` its under side to displace material in a can when the topper is inserted thereinto. and formed interiorly to receive the displaced material, and suction means connected with said topper for withdrawing the displaced material, said topper being open at its top and leaving exposed to atmospheric pressure the material which has been displaced from the can.

13. ln a device for leveling filled containes and recovering excess contents, the combination of a displacing and bailing member, an accumulating chamber, and suction means connecting said bailing member with said chamber.

14. In a device i'or leveling iilled containers to a predetermined height and recovering excess contents, the combination of a displacing portion having a bailing chamber annnlarly disposed within said displacing portion and sut-tion means for disposing of said excess.

PAUL lV. FLEISCHER. 

